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S class broke into without keys

UrBusted

Active Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2014
Messages
84
Car
Mercedes S350, Range Rover Autobiography, Range Rover SVR
Hi,
A few weeks ago I came on a Friday from a business trip, where I spent some money on suits and clothes due to my birthday having been on that week. I left the items in my car to avoid hassle from my Mrs for spending so much, and went to get them out Monday evening. All of the items had disappeared. After asking around this has happened to a few BMWs including a new X5 and one or two Mercedes around the private area I live in. I live down a private road in the area with only a few homes. The car was definitely locked, I made sure of it after picking up my clothes bag, so what I'm left wondering is how someone managed to open the car without the keys. I doubt someone could have copied the key but it is a possibility. How could they have done it? The car's getting an alarm system fitted as I no longer feel safe leaving the car anywhere, going to be more hassle carrying around 2 keys now.
Thanks
Edit : Just seen the other thread, the car doesn't have keyless go. The car says it only has 2 keys wrote to it and I have both keys. It could be Keycode as there has been times I've had to press the lock button of the car two or three times before it locks, but where would they keep the device? I live at the end of the road with only four other houses, wouldn't you have to quite close or could you just leave a device near the car?
 
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Looking on the bright side, you won't have to fess up to the Mrs now. ;)

Sorry, I realise that doesn't help but I couldn't resist. Hope you manage to find out how it happened and can secure the car better.
 
Sorry to hear about this, must be a horrible feeling. I'm getting an S-Class as well and this isn't encouraging news, even if it is the reality these days.

Ok, without Keyless Go or any kind of proximity key, not with a forced entry it sounds like they used one of your keys in a Rolljam or simple Jam attack. Both would need a transmitter fairly close, a Raspberry Pi a few bits inc antenna. The signals just need to be stronger than your key's. It could all be stuck in a small bag stuffed in the bushes.
In both attacks noise is sent, centred on 433.92MHz to make your keypress ineffective. Your car remains unlocked for the thief to access. Or with Rolljam they block and replay your first keypress code, whilst saving your second for the theft.

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk
 
Don't leave items on display, that way no one will want to get in the car.
That's just basic security.

Thieves these days have any amount of technology, alarms etc can always be overridden, but the theif won't risk breaking in for zero gain.
 
At the risk of stating the obvious, but to maybe give some help here.

It would seem to me that you were targeted. The chances of some opportunist thief happening upon your car, full of goodies, when unlocked, outside your house are just to great to be believable.

That says to me that somebody with the correct equipment was watching and possibly following you. Interesting that they went to the bother of "unlocking" the car, but did not attempt to steal it?

That would suggest that they only had the kit to unlock the doors and not override the ignition? Unless the theft was merely opportunist as they tried out their new toys? In which case, it is probable that they will be back for the car.

Can MB tell if the locks were electronically hacked?
 
There are ways to open a seemingly locked car which I wont go into, and nearly always the owner is targeted after a shopping spree. The owner gets back to the car, dumps the items in either the car or the boot, walks away making sure the car is locked by just pressing the key fob, sees all the indicator lights flash and walks away oblivious to the fact the car has already been unlocked. Sorry to hear is has happened to you.
 
Can you elaborate on "already been unlocked"? Surely if the lights etc have flashed that's an indication of it being locked. They would flash again if it then unlocked itself?
 
If you bought the items with a credit card then there might be some purchase protection insurance available.
 
To avoid getting my window broken on a hire car in Portugal (at a very isolated but touristy and infamous for car content thefts) I considered leaving the doors unlocked, one window open enough to get an arm in and a sign saying the car was not locked and there were no valuables inside. I'd be tempted to do the same with my own car, except that would be an open invite for any old scrote to get in and make themselves at home [emoji13] Having said that, I've left my glovebox wide open before to show there is nothing to hide - can't do that with the boot though.

Whatever, if I can't screen the Key via an anti-jamming pouch, I'll look to disable Keyless Go

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk
 
Fear of this type of theft has lead me spec our last two cars without keyless go.

I have no idea if it's hype or not, but just to be on the safe side I'm erring on the side of caution. If it means my car is passed over for another I'll never know.
 
If you bought the items with a credit card then there might be some purchase protection insurance available.
Thanks for informing me, I'll look into this.
 
Don't leave items on display, that way no one will want to get in the car.
That's just basic security.
Thieves these days have any amount of technology, alarms etc can always be overridden, but the theif won't risk breaking in for zero gain.
None of the items were on display, the trunk wasn't opened when I came home either.
At the risk of stating the obvious, but to maybe give some help here.

It would seem to me that you were targeted. The chances of some opportunist thief happening upon your car, full of goodies, when unlocked, outside your house are just to great to be believable.

That says to me that somebody with the correct equipment was watching and possibly following you. Interesting that they went to the bother of "unlocking" the car, but did not attempt to steal it?

That would suggest that they only had the kit to unlock the doors and not override the ignition? Unless the theft was merely opportunist as they tried out their new toys? In which case, it is probable that they will be back for the car.

Can MB tell if the locks were electronically hacked?
There are ways to open a seemingly locked car which I wont go into, and nearly always the owner is targeted after a shopping spree. The owner gets back to the car, dumps the items in either the car or the boot, walks away making sure the car is locked by just pressing the key fob, sees all the indicator lights flash and walks away oblivious to the fact the car has already been unlocked. Sorry to hear is has happened to you.

I have lost items I've left in the trunk previously, a jacket and a bag on other occasions but I assumed I left them somewhere but I guess I could have continuously been robbed. I doubt anyone followed me an odd 200 miles but it is a possibility. There's 2 cars blocking the drive, but I'm sure they could take those too, I assume they didn't because there's a gatehouse who check who leaves and who enters, but it's a big area and methods of gaining entry through a forest.
Can you elaborate on "already been unlocked"? Surely if the lights etc have flashed that's an indication of it being locked. They would flash again if it then unlocked itself?
I don't understand, an you explain please? The car on some occasions takes multiple presses to lock is what I meant.
Thanks for all of your assistance and wellwishes. I'll take a look around to see if any suspicious packages are lying around but they would've probably been taken. The new alarm system should be being installed today.
To gr1nch, I still don't regret buying this car and hope this doesn't deter you, it is by far the best car in the price range for what it is.
Fear of this type of theft has lead me spec our last two cars without keyless go.

I have no idea if it's hype or not, but just to be on the safe side I'm erring on the side of caution. If it means my car is passed over for another I'll never know.
Keyless go is nice but not required - there was an article of children robbing from cars with keyless go in under a minute.
 
I doubt anyone followed me an odd 200 miles but it is a possibility. There's 2 cars blocking the drive, but I'm sure they could take those too, I assume they didn't because there's a gatehouse who check who leaves and who enters, but it's a big area and methods of gaining entry through a forest. .


My point was:

Any crime carries a risk to the criminal. A criminal, going to all the trouble/expense, of creating a mechanism to unlock a high value car, just on the off chance that there may be something worth stealing in the trunk?

Then doing it in a Private, Security Gated, Enclosed Estate? That does not do it for me.

They either thought there was something worth their efforts in the trunk (not your suits & pants) or they were/are planning on taking the car. If the latter? They will be back.
 
I take it you have not mentioned this "theft" to the wife...women do some very strange things when they feel deceived.and unlocking and locking is in their remit.:D
 
I wonder if with these fancy electronic cars you can get the lock codes changed so that any already captured code will be useless to the would be thief ; then be very careful about security of your electronic keys .

I'm so glad that my cars have simple mechanical keys and no signals to jam or copy :)
 
The irony being that they would be very easy indeed to steal, if the modern criminal hadn't forgotten how.
 
Sorry to hear about the theft but are you really sure that it wasn't an indoors job? Women you know...
 
The irony being that they would be very easy indeed to steal, if the modern criminal hadn't forgotten how.

Different technology and skills - very easy to make hard to start with a hidden kill switch on ignition & fuel pump .

When going on holiday , removing rotor arm takes seconds , and if I can be bothered , put vehicle in park then unscrew gear selector lever , few thieves will come prepared for that :devil:
 
Removing the steering wheel and disconnecting the shifter linkage was always my favourite.
 
My point was:

Any crime carries a risk to the criminal. A criminal, going to all the trouble/expense, of creating a mechanism to unlock a high value car, just on the off chance that there may be something worth stealing in the trunk?

Then doing it in a Private, Security Gated, Enclosed Estate? That does not do it for me.

They either thought there was something worth their efforts in the trunk (not your suits & pants) or they were/are planning on taking the car. If the latter? They will be back.
That's a good point, maybe I can catch the thieves if they return. Hopefully they won't be able to steal the car now. There are signs that someone has tried to steal my wifes A3, with the grille being removed, there's some signs someones hide a pry around inside, apparently there's a method of being able to steal the car from there.

I take it you have not mentioned this "theft" to the wife...women do some very strange things when they feel deceived.and unlocking and locking is in their remit.:D
I did mention that I went shopping for myself, but she was a bit surprised when I told the officer what items were taken :D

I wonder if with these fancy electronic cars you can get the lock codes changed so that any already captured code will be useless to the would be thief ; then be very careful about security of your electronic keys .

I'm so glad that my cars have simple mechanical keys and no signals to jam or copy :)
I would've got insurance to do it, but overall it would've cost more than going through other routes to prevent thefts. I'll see if it is possible to change the lock codes now. Things used to be much simpler, sometimes I have the urge to go get a more mechanical car, they also look much nicer in my opinion such as the cars in your signature.

Sorry to hear about the theft but are you really sure that it wasn't an indoors job? Women you know...
I've already searched up and down everywhere - I wish it was her who had taken it lol

Different technology and skills - very easy to make hard to start with a hidden kill switch on ignition & fuel pump .

When going on holiday , removing rotor arm takes seconds , and if I can be bothered , put vehicle in park then unscrew gear selector lever , few thieves will come prepared for that :devil:
Removing the steering wheel and disconnecting the shifter linkage was always my favourite.
If only such actions were possible on modern cars - would save me from a lot of stress
 

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